topic Re: Define command in Operating System - OpenVMS

Define command

pkg — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:41:54 GMT

Hello,
I am new in VMS. Please can any one explain the meaning of-:
define/group cpi$status "OK"

What define/group command do and cpi$status is variable or any thing.

Re: Define command

Joseph Huber_1 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:48:44 GMT

First of all, better read a tutorial for VMS beginners (see pointers at www.openvms.org) and the general DCL manual at the VMS documentation site (see at the bottom of the ITRC page), or even the wikipedia article as a start ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Files-11#Logical_names ).

The DEFINE command defines a logical name.
The /GROUP qualifier defines the logical name in the group name table, i.e. the name is visible to the owners UIC group only.

cpi$status is the logical name itself; since it contains a "$" in the name it seems to belong to some system-registered facility or subsystem.

The value of the logical name is "OK": any user/dcl procedure/program can look up (translate) the logical name by means of;
SHOW LOGICAL/GROUP cpi$status
f$trnlnm("cpi$status","LNM$GROUP")
$TRNLNM system service call

Re: Define command

Kris Clippeleyr — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:58:32 GMT

Hi,
Welcome.

Please start with the fine VMS manuals.
Specifically the "OpenVMS User's Manual" at
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/731final/6489/6489pro.html

And to answer on topic.
The "define" command creates a logical name (in your example the name "cpi$status" in the group table, representing the equivalence name "OK").

Regards,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

Re: Define command

Steven Schweda — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:11:56 GMT

For the short version:

HELP DEFINE

Re: Define command

Andy Bustamante — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:47:03 GMT

See http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/83final/9996/9996pro_46.html#purple_1 for documentation on the DEFINE command. This will lead to more questions (user group system?)

For access to the complete OpenVMS Documentation set see
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/os83_index.html. It appears you're trying to review command file (script if you're a unix type). The DCL Dictionary should will prove handy. The User's Guide already mentioned provides a good starting point. The command HELP provides access to excellent documenation as well. Try HELP DEFINE, HELP HELP and HELP HINTS.